Too often, Texans feel unheard or unrepresented in policy conversations happening across their state. That’s just one reason The Texas Tribune holds more than 50 in-person events statewide each year.

Today, we’re building on that tradition of engagement by launching our first-ever Facebook group for Texans who want a civil place to explore policy issues online. Our aim is to empower people impacted by the state's policy decisions to lead the conversation for change.

This Is Your Texas is a place for Texans to join Texas Tribune staff, policy experts and, ideally, elected officials in a constructive dialogue about policy challenges facing our state.

Forge connections with Texans with diverse experiences and perspectives. Texas politics might be centered at the Capitol, but we know policy shapes life in every corner of the state. This Is Your Texas will serve as an online platform for readers to come together and identify how policy issues are impacting their communities.

Invite readers to have a hand in Texas Tribune coverage. We hope This Is Your Texas discussions will spur story ideas that Tribune reporters might not have pursued otherwise. We are genuinely interested in seeing policy from new perspectives. Participants will have the chance to have their voices broadcast to a larger audience.

Facilitate access to newsmakers and elected officials. Just as we bring policymakers to the table at our statewide events, we plan to invite state leaders to join us for discussions in This Is Your Texas.

We’ll ask group members to weigh in on the topics they most want to discuss each month. Share your stories: Is a certain policy especially relevant to you or members of your community? What do Texas lawmakers need to know? Fill us in.